If there isn t separate persons in the Godhead, why does the bible talk about Jesus being on the Right hand of God?

Transcription

1 If there isn t separate persons in the Godhead, why does the bible talk about Jesus being on the Right hand of God? [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalms 110:1 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Mark 16:19 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. Acts 2:33 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Acts 7:55 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 There are many other examples of this, at least 15 total, that talk about Jesus being on the right hand of God. So, does this prove that there is a second person of the trinity? Based on what we know it scripture, the answer has to be no. Let s examine what the meaning of this is. We will start with does God actually have a right hand? John 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. Jeremiah 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. The term right hand is an anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to non human beings of things. Although many places in scripture speak of various parts of God's body (the Hand of God, God's wings, etc.) or speak of God in anthropomorphic terms (God walking in the garden of Eden,). Any reference to God's body is simply a figure of speech,

2 a means of making God's actions more comprehensible to beings living in a material world. In the Hebrew this idiom denotes power and strength. Excerpt hebrew.org/emagazine/009.html Question of the Month Hand of God? By: Jeff A. Benner Q: What does the phrase "Hand of God" mean? A: The Hebrew phrase is "yamin elohiym". The word elohiym means "God" while the word "yamin" is "right hand". The focus of this word is on the idea of "the right hand" in contrast to just "the hand" (yad in Hebrew). The right hand is the stronger hand over the left hand. The "right hand of God" is an idiom for "the strength of God". End Excerpt Also we see that Right hand is defined in Websters as: a position of honor or special trust. If God is a spirit that fills heaven and earth, it would be impossible to have a right hand as we understand it. He is everywhere, all the time. This helps us understand that this term of right hand of God is meant to help us understand the role God uses in the form of Jesus. Jesus is our mediator, God made flesh to reconcile us to him. 1 Timothy 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

3 If we understand this, then we understand that when Stephen looked up and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God, that it he wasn t literally looking into the heavens and seeing God. The bible says this about us seeing God 1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. No man has seen God, this was again Anthropomorphism, demonstrating the power and prominence that belong to God and Jesus being the demonstration of the power. One of the scriptures about the right hand of God is Psalms 110:1 and a lot of people will emphasis until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Excerpt from website: 1 Cor. 15:23 28 " afterward they that are Christ s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." Notice this speaks of Jesus delivering the kingdom to the Father. It is important to understand the way God uses language that separates. God has set a precedent. Throughout the Bible God often times confounds the "wisdom of men." Some of these absurdities, paradox's or contrast. Jesus is both... Lion Rev. 5:5 Lamb Rev. 5:6 Lord John 13:13 Servant Matt. 20:28 High Priest Heb. 4:14 Sacrifice Heb. 9:26 Creator John 1:3 Creature John 1:10

4 Shepherd John 10:11 Lamb John 1:29 Father Isa. 9:6 Son Isa. 9:6 Presenter Eph. 5:27 Receiver Eph. 5:27 While it is understood that we all have some attributes that are displayed at different times that are contrasting, some of these are more shocking than others. Creator/Creature; Father/Son; Presenter/Receiver; This is evident in Eph. 5:27, when Jesus presents the church, Bride, the kingdom to HIMSELF! " That he might present it to himself a glorious church " This presentation shows Jesus is the Father, (1 Cor. 15:24 & Eph. 5:27, speaks of the same event) and occurs after the rapture, when Jesus begins to reign as God all in all! End Excerpt Some other examples of the right hand in Scripture are Ex 15:6 6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. Ex 15:12 12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. In the two previous verses we can see that the right hand is not referring to position or location but the power and authority of God. When similar terms are used we find that the Bible never uses God s left hand to describe His power and strength. Again the term has nothing to do with position or location but the very power and might of the almighty God. Isa 63:12 12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? Here was another very good example of how the term right hand is used to describe power. This time it is used in reference to Moses and how God used him in delivering the children of Israel from Egypt. It says That led

5 them by the right hand of Moses. Does this mean that Moses literally took his right hand and led out 3 million Jews? Of course not! It simply means that God used Moses and demonstrated his power through him in that great deliverance. No, it is not about location or position, it is about the power of God in operation. The overall point here is that, there are not separate persons in heaven as may be suggested with the right hand of God, but there is one God. Scripture uses expressions to demonstrate God s presence in different ways, this is to help us grasp the concept of God and should not be misconstrued as a triune God.